MVCC's Study Abroad!

Watch this page for news about upcoming study tours!

Why study abroad?

Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to travel and to get to know another culture first hand.

Studying abroad will help you develop new skills and give you opportunities beyond what you can have on your home campus.

You will learn about yourself. You will learn that you can do things you never imagined you would be able to do.

You will discover that you will learn more about your own country, in part because you will begin to see it from the point of view of those in your host country. You may have to explain the doings of the US to your overseas friends.

You will expand your world view. You won't see your home culture the same way. If you're lucky, you will return not only with friends from around the world but you will also be more informed and less biased about other cultures.

Many study abroad programs are either in English-speaking countries OR, in non-English speaking countries, the academic courses for students from overseas may be in English. You don't need to speak a language other than English to study abroad, but think about this: study abroad is the best way to learn a language: by immersion.

Studying abroad may improve your employment opportunities in an increasingly competitive job market. Only 4% of US undergraduates study abroad in a world marketplace that is increasingly globalized.

Bon voyage!

NOTE: If you are interested in longer study tours, either now or later in your academic career, please visit www.sunysystemabroad.com-- and feel free to contact sengel@mvcc.edu or stop in to ACC224 to discuss your options!

Thank you for your interest in study abroad to Amsterdam, Paris, and London in Spring 2015.

Here is information to get you started.

We will add you to the list of interested travelers so that you can find out more information and details on the college study tour. (If you decide that you are not interested in the study abroad course/trip, send an email to Carolyn West Pace (cpace@mvcc.edu) or Jim Roberts (jroberts@mvcc.edu) and we’ll remove you from the list.)

2) EF College Study Tour For more information go to www.efcollegestudytours.com/1646772RE

The EF Customer Service number is: 1- 877-485-4184Amsterdam & Paris with London Extension – 10 days totalThe trip number is 1646772RE, listed under Pace.There is a $150 discount if you sign up by October 15.

You enroll for the college study tour directly through EF College Study Tours. To enroll: pay $95 to EF Educational Tours and choose a payment plan. (See #3.) We ask that you attend an information session or speak with one of the faculty members before you enroll.

3) Choose a payment plan with EF College Study Tours. Most travelers choose the EF Automatic Payment option, which spreads the payments out monthly from now through the spring. EF College Study Tours also offers two other payment plans. See their website for more details. Additional Financial Aid through the college in the form of student loans may be available to those who qualify. Consult the MVCC Financial Aid Office for more information on your individual plan (315-792-5415, PH 120).

4) Enroll for SA 300, a 3-credit Humanities Course, For Spring 2015. Register for SA 300 for Spring 2015 once it becomes available on October 27th. We will send you an email with more information on the course. You must enroll for both -- the course, SA300, through the college and the educational tour through EF College Study Tours.

Departure: Our estimated departure date is May 12, 2015 immediately after the last day of classes. We leave from Albany and the trip is 10 days.

The course and college study tour are contingent upon sufficient enrollment. If there is not a sufficient number of students to run the course by December 15, 2014, the course including the study abroad tour will be canceled and a refund will be issued. If an individual student cancels for other reasons, the EF College Study Tours standard cancelation policy applies.

Emily Casiano is the student support specialist at EF College Study Tours and can assist with enrollment and setting up payments as well as general questions about the tour. Tel: (877) 485-4184 | | emily.casiano@ef.com Call or stop by our offices if you have any questions. We look forward to speaking with you!

Jim Roberts and Carolyn West Pace

Course Information for SA 300

Amsterdam, Paris, and London, Spring 2015

This liberal-arts course is designed as a learning-community in which art, art history, European history and literature, are combined and presented concurrently in one semester. This international course enhances cross-cultural skills, language skills, and an understanding of Flemish and French art and culture. An introduction to European Art includes painting, sculpture, literature and architecture focusing on Amsterdam, Versailles, and Paris. The class will meet every three weeks for a two-and-a-half hour session.

Student Learning Outcomes

To succeed in this course, students need to meet the following objectives:

1. Evaluate literary and artistic works as a revelation of Europe's social and cultural life.

2. Analyze European literature and art by examining historical, political, and social environments within the work.

3. Discuss various works of European art and literature and how it relates to their own cultural background.

4. Create a presentation based on observations on European Art and Literature

5. Demonstrate the writing and verbal skills necessary to clearly express ideas about European art and literature

6. Create a journal recording the research and analysis for the final presentation

Course Requirements

The student is expected to:

1. Attend all classes and be on time. Attendance is mandatory for this course. If you miss a class, see us during our office hours. If you come in after I have called the roster, it is your responsibility to notify me at the end of class. If you do not notify me, you will be marked absent for that day.

4. To receive a passing final grade, students will need to complete and submit all assignments when due and complete quizzes as scheduled. It remains the student's responsibility to keep track of all assignments and requirements.

5. Meet with the instructor during mutually agreed upon appointment times for assistance in any matter impeding progress.

Grading

Overseas Journal 30%

Art Reflections 30%

Literature Reflections 30%

Final Presentation 10%

Attendance and ParticipationAttendance is required for this course. In addition to the academic material, we cover important information on safety and travel during the study abroad portion of the course. If you have to miss a class, contact one of the instructors within a week of the class meeting. Poor attendance and lack of participation may result in withdrawal from the trip at your own expense.

Required material:

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway

Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Additional Essays in Course Reader

Selected Essays on Artworks and monuments

Journal entriesReflections related to the sites, architecture, artists or culture of Holland and France are acceptable. For the purposes of this class one full page of the journal will equal one entry. Students keep a journal before and during the study abroad trip.

LiteratureStudents should be prepared to read and discuss works of literature, including poems, plays, and short stories. Students will learn how to respond to literary works and will be asked to make connection between what they read and their daily lives, to the World History and European Art.

European Art and Literature ReflectionsThese comprise of short (typically 1-2 page) responses relating to art and literature. The responses will be completed both in and out of class. Keep a folder with your responses.The grade for your response is based on the following:1) whether or not the responses were submitted on time2) the development and content of your responses3) the connection of your responses to the objectives of this course4) the development of ideas from the text and class

DisabilitiesWe would appreciate hearing from anyone in the class who has any type of disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) which may require some special accommodation. Please see me during my office hours so that we can discuss your needs. Before services can begin, you must also contact the Disability Services Office, 792-5644, in Room 104H of the Payne Hall Building on the Utica Campus. (For classes on the Rome Campus, students should be referred to the Student Services Office, PC A30, 334-7744). Staff members will review your documentation, determine your eligibility for accommodations, and decide what those accommodations will be.Uncaptioned educational DVDs and/or other uncaptioned audio-visual materials will be shown in this class. Anyone with a hearing disability should discuss this with me duringoffice hours.

Free Tutoring: The Learning Center, located in AB 152, is structured to help students enhance their academic skills. Free tutoring is available. See us or stop by the Learning Center.

Civility StatementMohawk Valley Community College is committed to civility in and out of the classroom. MVCC believes everyone has the right to an environment that creates the safe opportunity for educational, professional, and social development. MVCC recognizes its responsibility to model and encourage a culture of civil behavior.

Sustainability StatementMohawk Valley Community College is committed to development and implementation of a comprehensive sustainability plan. To that end, we are beginning by asking students, faculty, and staff to actively participate in energy conservation measures and proper recycling on campus. The blue bins located in classrooms, and offices are for paper and paper products only. All plastic, metal and glass containers should be placed in the proper recycling bins located in the hallways. Please remember to empty them before depositing them. Any materials that cannot be recycled should be place in garbage cans. It is also important to turn off lights and computers when leaving a room. Together we can make an impact on conserving our resources. Remember to reduce, reuse and recycle!

Academic Affairs DGV StatementA few years ago, MVCC initiated a program titled “Diversity –Global View” (DGV), which gave each of our graduates a chance to participate in educational experiences designed to increase awareness of intercultural perspectives. Our goal in doing so was to enhance our students’ understanding of the realities faced by individuals as a result of their race, ethnicity, cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, academic abilities and interests, age, religious beliefs, and physical ability. To that end, all graduates who matriculated into programs in the fall 2008 or more recently, or who have changed their major since 2008, are now required to complete the DGV components associated with the degree or certificate program in which they are enrolled. For more information please visit http://www.mvcc.edu/students/registration/dgvrequirement.cfm.

Disclaimer-Academic Affairs“The above procedures and policies are subject to change, in the event of extenuating circumstances or at the discretion of the instructor.”

All electronic devices must be turned off during class. Failure to comply with this will result in a reduction in points for your participation grade.

These procedures and policies are subject to the discretion of the instructors.

Tentative CalendarThis calendar is subject to change. Corresponding readings are assigned in class.

Fall 2014:Attend a meeting to discuss the scope of the course and the study abroad.

Meeting 2: Introduction of the course theme: The City as a work of art or literature.

Meetings 3 and 4: Amsterdam, Dutch Art and literature

Meetings 5 and 6: Paris: Art and Literature

Meetings 7 and 8: London: Art and Literature

Meeting 9: Final departure Information

Meeting 10: Final presentations upon re-entry

Welcome! We are looking forward to studying literature and art with you over the course of the semester.

MVCC Vietnam Adventure 2014

Roman Santos is an associate professor of
Spanish in MVCC's Center for Language and Learning Design. He is at Vietnam's Kien Giang Community College as a visiting instructor for nine weeks, where he is also doing research on language acquisition.

Santos received his bachelor's degree form Brigham Young University, a master's degree from San Diego State University, and a master's degree from the University of Phoenix.

Professional Development Travel,May-June 2013

In late May and early June, Mr. Dennis Gibbons, Associate Dean for Student and Resident Life Services, visited Vietnam with Dr. Sandra Engel, Director of International Education and Fulbright alumna who spent a semester at MVCC’s partner school, Kien Giang Community College. The purposes of this visit were to learn about student affairs in Vietnam; to share MVCC (and thus American) practices in student affairs and residence life; and since Gibbons was traveling on his first passport, to have an experience akin to that our students whose first international travel may be to come to MVCC. Almost immediately upon his return, he shared his perceptions and ideas with the Student Affairs leadership.